It is known to provide a variety of systems for mounting an electrical connector on or in a panel, such as at a rear side of a panel. Panel mounted electrical connectors usually include a non-conductive or dielectric housing having a plurality of electrically conductive terminals mounted therein. The housing also includes some form of means for mounting the connector to a panel. The panel mounted connector may be mounted to a rear side of a panel, for instance, and is mateable with other electrical apparatus, such as another connector at a front side of the panel. The other connector, in turn, may be mounted to a second panel, a circuit board, a cable or discrete electrical wires.
Quite often, the mating of a panel mounted electrical connector to another connector or circuit component is carried out under blind mating conditions such that precise alignment of the panel mounted connector with the other connector cannot be assured. Blind mating of panel mounted connectors may occur in a wide variety of applications ranging from computer equipment to automotive applications. Attempts to forcibly blind mate improperly aligned electrical connectors can damage the housings of the connectors, the fragile terminals mounted in the housings or, in some instances, even the panels to which the connectors are mounted. Improper alignment also may prevent complete mating, thereby negatively affecting the quality of the electrical connection.
Various prior art panel mounted electrical connectors have been provided with means for permitting a controlled amount of float between the connector housing and the associated panel to solve the above problems in blind mating of panel mounted connectors. Many such connectors have been fairly complex multi-component structures which may even be manufactured separately from the electrical connector and require assembly and installations. Most other floating mounts for panel mounted connectors do little in centering the connector in its through hole in the panel. The present invention is directed to solving these various problems in such panel mounted connectors.